Improvement in breech-loading guns



' which the cartridge is inserted.

l UNITED STATES ATENT rricn.

C. SHARPS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN BREECH-LOADING GUNS.

T0 a/ZZ whom, it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN Simms, of

the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do herebydeclare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of certain portions of a breech-loading ride constructed according to the principles of my in- Vention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the same, and Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of certain portions of the rifle with the breech-pin withdrawn for loading. My invention relates to that class of firearms which are loaded at the breech, or in which the butt of the barrel may be opened to permit the insertion of the charge.

The object of my invention is to render the firing of the charge from the primer Inore certain. I have also combined and arranged the parts in such manner that the part of the breech which is most affected by use may be readily renewed, and that the joint does not permit the escape of smoke and gas.

My improved fire-arm is constructed in such manner that it unites the advantages of cheapness in manufacture, facility in operation, and great simplicity, while at the same time the parts are combined and arranged in such manner that the cartridge is pierced and the powder is worked into the channel leading to the primer by the operation of locking the sliding breech-pin in the place it occupies at the time the charge is iired. The firearm is also constructed in such manner that the sliding breech-pin may be readidy removed when the barrel is to be cleaned, and again replaced without requiring the employment of tools.

In the accompanying drawings, the barrel A of the ire-ar'm is screwed at its butt into a breech, B, which is situated at the front end of a slide, C, in which a sliding breech-pin,D, is constructed toslide to and fro. The breech is open at its hinder end, where a shoulder,e, is formed to retain a removable bush,o,which forms the hinder extremity of the chamber in The bush o is cylindrical, its interior bore being of sufficient diameter to permit the easy insertion of the cartridge. Its exterior iits easily in the breech, and it has a collar, i, at its front end corresponding with the shoulder c in the breech, so that it cannot pass through the latter. The interior bore of the bush has a series of ring-grooves formed in it to receive tallow or other similar substance, by which the breech-pin is lubricated, and a ring-washer, a, of leather or other similar substance, is inserted between the collar upon the bush and the shoulder in the breech, to pack the joint and prevent the escape of smoke and gas.

i As has before been said, the bush iits easily in the breech. It is inserted in its place bcfore the barrel is screwed into the breech,and may be readily removed when the barrel has been unscrewed by simply driving it forward.

The cylindrical opening in the bush is closed by the sliding breech-pin. This latter consists of a cylindrical piece of metal, which slides i`reely in the semi-cylindrical slide C that projects backward from the breech. It is turned oit smaller' at its front end to iit into the bore of the bush, and it terminates in a conical spoon-piercer, d, by which the butt of the cartridge is opened to permit the entrance of the lire from the primer. The breech-pin is fitted with the tube c, upon which the primer is exploded by the cock of the lock, and it is perforated to permit the fire to pass forward into the cartridge. The hinder end of the breech-pin is furnished with a handle, f, by

which the breech-pin is manipulated, and which, when the gun is ready for ring, stands erect, as shown at Fig. l. rlhe lower end of this handle forms a latch which, engaging against a shoulder, g, formed upon the slide C, prevents the movement of the breech-pin during the firing of the charge. The breechpin may be turned in the slide a quarter of a revolution from right to left, to permit it to be disengaged from the shoulder g, and the slide C is of sufficient length to enable the breech-pin to be slid backward a sui'iicient distance to permit a cartridge to be laid in the slide between the front end of the breech-pin and the breech of the gun.

On the side of the slide opposite to the handle of the breech-pin a stump, h, is formed, against which the base j of the tube c abuts when, the breech-pin is drawn back to limit 2 16,072 It 't the movement of the breech-pin when it is drawn backward. The part of the slide opposite to this stump is low enough to permit the base j of the tube to be moved past thel prevent the turning of the breech-pin into the position in which it may be withdrawn from the slide until the .base j of the tube is in contact with the stump h. By .this arrangement the accidental dropping of the sliding breechpin is avoided, as it can only be removed from the slide when it occupies one position in respect to it, and when it is in this position a positive movement is required to disengage it from the stump. The construction of the parts is in fact analogous to the 1 method in which a bayonet is combined with the muzzle of a nre-arm, and the combination possesses the great advantage of simplicity, while at the same time it permits the easy removal of the breech-pin to enable the fire-arm to be cleaned, and dispenses with the use of screws or other similar devices so generally used to secure the apparatus which closes the breech in breechloading re-arms. v

In order that the parts may not become clogged with dirt, they are fitted together with a great deal of play,and to prevent the breechpin from being jarred out of its place a spring, m, is sunk in a recess in it to bear against the slide, and thus create sufficient friction to prevent the movement of the breech-pin without the application of force. The bush o, which forms the hinder extremity of the chamber in which the charge is received, may be readily removed when injured by use,and may be replaced'by a new one by simply unscrewing the barrel ofthe iire-arm. The elastic washer a packs the joint tightly and prevents the escape of smoke, thus rendering a more rigid mechanical attachment of the bush to the breech unnecessary, and putting it in the power of the most ordinary soldier to repair his fire-arm when breech-burnt.

Vhen the {ire-arm is not in use, the several parts above described occupy the positions in which they are shown in Figs. l and 2. In order to load, the cock of the lock is raised. The handle f is then turned from right to left to ahorizontal position. This movement disengages the breech-pin in the slide, so that it may be drawn backward by means of the handle until the base j of the tube comes in contact with the stump h of the slide. A cartridge is now laid in the slide in front of the breech-pin, and the operator, again applying his hand tothe handle f, moves the breechpin forward and forces the cartridge into the breech. When the bullet at the front end of the cartridge strikes the shoulder at the front end of the chamber, the farther forward movement of the cartridge is prevented, and as the breech-pin is still shoved forward to close the breech its conical spoon pierces the butt of the cartridge, so that the powder in the latter is worked into the perforation leading to the tube as the breech-pin is turned to bring the tube into the proper position for the explosion of the primer. The lock of the fire-arm Ihave represented in the accompanying drawings is fitted with my patent primer. The invention I have described is, however, equally adapted for the employment of Maynards primer or for the ordinary percussion-cap.

The invention I have described is susceptible of modification and alteration without affecting the principle embodied in it; hence it may with great advantage be applied to firearms already constructed. y

I am aware that the breech of a fire-arm has heretofore been closed by a plug breech-pin connected therewith by a bayonet attachment, and that beveled or spoon-formed piercers have been used to pierce cartridges. I am also aware that a bush has been used in that part of the breech which is liable to burn by continued use. I therefore lay no claim to the invention of such devices of themselves; but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l.- 'Ihe combination and arrangement of a spoon-formed cartridge-piercer with the turning breech-pin of a breech-loading fire-arm, whereby thepowder is more eiiectually worked into the channel leading to the primer by the operation oflocking the breech-pin in its place.

2. The combination of a removable bush and elastic packing-ring with the breech of a lfirearm, substantially as herein set forth.

In .testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHRISTIAN SHARPS.

Vitnesses:

E. A. Hawkins, VILLIAM HAwKrNs. 

